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The broader Keepers of the Water Council supports the efforts of all Keepers communities across our Great Arctic Ocean Basin. Your donation can be directed towards one of our projects or to the Council to be used where the needs are deemed greatest.

Hay River Basin Pollution Investigation and Remediation Planning Gathering sponsor Stop Site C Watershed Council and projects of greatest need

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Current projects in need of your support

Hay River Basin Pollution Investigation and Remediation Planning

The Keepers of the Water seek your help to complete the final presentation step of our Hay River Basin Pollution Study.

For many years, Traditional Knowledge Carriers and Indigenous hunter trappers of NW Alberta have seen significant deterioration of their traditional lands, waters, plants, wildlife and livelihoods caused by petroleum installation spills and pipelines breaks. They feel their concerns have not been adequately addressed by governments, industry and regulators.

To address this long standing concern, the Keepers of the Water in partnership with the First Nations of NW Alberta, have sponsored a comprehensive study of these pollution events combining the traditional knowledge of the Dene and Cree trappers and knowledge carriers with the best of current wetland science. Systematic sampling and comparison has been done of spill sites and controlled unaffected areas. The samples have been processed at certified labs and analyzed by expert wetlands and water scientists. This has been synthesized with the wisdom of the Traditonal Ecological Knowledge Carriers.

The findings, implications and recommendations will be presented at the University of Alberta on Thursday, February 2, 2017. Although not yet public, the results will truthfully and directly examine the quality and competence of the job the public regulator does in monitoring, reporting, protecting and enforcing our water and wetlands and the traditional homelands of these Original Peoples.

Although this study has been carried out at the highest scholarly standard, it has been done on a very small budget and much hard work has been volunteered by traditionalists and scientists. We want to have as many Native scholars and leaders at the presentation and followup discussion as possible. At present we are short of funds for travel for these people.

We sincerely seek your support to ensure these leaders are all present to participate in the conversation with Keepers and the authorities that ensues.

Keepers of the WaterWorking together to protect water for all living things today and tomorrow.